The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-20
WIZ DO THEY ron AND SUFFER ?
Honorable md Profitable Employment Open
To New York's White Slaves.

to New York'> White Slaves
READING, Nov. 15.-yTHE SUNS articles on
the white slaves in New York city have on
cited considerable interest in this part OF
Pennsylvania. where a certain class Of female
labor Is in demand. Taking up the daily
papers here visitor is much surprised to see
so many advertisements for young women to
do ordinary homework An elderly wife, who
had advertised In vain for several months, said
1T Is u great wonder to me that all those
apparently half-starved women in New York
city. who earn but 80 cents per day OF Is hours
work, don't move out into the smaller cities
and help at homework. Wages in Reading for
housework Of the most ordinary kind is from
50 to So per week. including board, of course
Board is certainly worth SO n week for women.
which, added to their wages and presents and
gifts Of good wearing apparel, would equal So
and So week. But young women do not de-
sire to do housework. l suppose. They con-
slider it too much drudgery. They would
rather toll Is hours a day in their own
humble homes for 80 cents and find their
own board so long rs they need do no work
that sells their delicate hands. The great evil
in America, as l have learned it from many
housewives from many cities, is the growing
scarcity Of females for homework. Tho fac
tories, mills. sowing rooms. offices of all
kinds shops. &c. are attracting young
women, who consider homework Il Disgrace
Very many young women would rather
toll from morning until night for SO a week
and pay for their own board than do house,
work, which would yield them twice as much
money. There is entirely too much false pride
among the young women OF the country They
imagine doing housework is disgrace. They
many instances mothers arc to blame Of
course. They don't want to see the delicate
want them, to be drudges in any family. for
fear their CHANGES for suitable i' marriages will
be All ht Is d as
should Be done should be the aim and object Of
every young woman, rich or poor. But as long
homework exists. so long will young women
rather, work, and starvo at doing something
from housework. the dearth Of suitable help in
the n has ~ annoy
seff he Fames s 81 ss
are too many ladies' With beautiful hands.
OF labor. They want to be informed that hon
est young mechanics want WIVES S, who can Se r
are. not wanted for housewives. and the
entire community must know. sooner or later.
unhappiness in the home circle, not to say
poverty. distress. and absolute crime, is the fact
that h3 know
ing of the most severe censure for this. They
connive with their daughters to deceive pros
pectve husbands. and when the young women
become wives they disnppoint their husbands.
home becomes mockery. the income OF the
husband is frittered away. nothing is saved,
and chaos comes into that home circle. l
have no pity tor Young women who starve at
fifty cents a day and who must board them
selves. II they would shake OF their false
hands. leave the mill and factory. drop the
needle and vacate the garrett and take up re-
spectabe homework. they would be far hetter
oil. Such young women can solve this whole
problem themselves.
The supply OF housework girls is drained,
hands so is Hooded 'G Both i'm must TstA be- adj
justed. and poverty among women will disap-
best women in the land do housework Of some
sort and no honest girl need be ashamed of
that sort of employment. On the contrary. she
should be proud of it. because every sensible
man will think the moro OF a young woman IL
he is told that she is doing honsework for liv-
practical responsibilities Of married life. Then.
II she Is we'll married and does not need to do
Homework, she will know how 1t ought to be
done and her help cannot deceive her, She
care for herself Therefore. to sum up. would
advise sewing women to drop the needle and
take up housework. The occupation can be
mastered in due time If prorer attention is
paid to 1t, and then we shall hear less Of white
female slaves in this country and in this age.
The time must come when the old saying. I'd
rather starve with the needle than be u dish |
washer. a cook. a buster or chambermaid or
bed maker. or a dining room girl for Others,
must disappear. II it does not. then all this
the market, ,purchasable with n pittance, as 1t
now Is and will continue forever. unless
young women got out OF it and turn their at
tention to that kind of responsible labor that Is